Device for detecting adhesive stamps or the like on packets



Nov. 19, 1963 J. GAGG 3,111,564

DEVICE FOR DETECTING ADHESIVE STAMPS OR THE LIKE ON PACKETS Filed Oct.4, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WW, Mm ATTORNEXs Nov. 19, 1963 J- GAGG DEVICEFOR DETECTING ADHESIVE STAMPS OR THE LIKE ON PACKETS Filed Oct. 4, 19603 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 8 Y Wm 4M war/2,9,,

ATTORNEXi Nov. 19, 1963 J. GAGG 3,111,564

DEVICE FOR DETECTING ADHESIVE STAMPS OR THE LIKE ON PACKETS Filed Oct.4, 1960 3 Sheets-61 1961. 3

ATTORNEXQ United States Patent 3,111,564 DEVICE FOR DETECTING ADHESIVESTAMPS OR THE LIKE 0N PACKETS James Gagg, Diep'tford, London, England,assignor to Molins Machine Company Limited, Deptford, London, England, aBritish company Filed Oct. 4, 1960., Ser. No. 60,411 Claims priority,application Great-Britain Oct. 22, 1959 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-61.41)

This invention concerns a device for detecting missing adhesive stampsor the'like on packets. The invention is mainly concerned with thedetection of missing revenue stamps on American-style cigarette packetsbut is applicable to any packet where packet folds are secured by alabel.

The popular American-style cigarette packet comprises an open paper cupcontaining a batch of cigarettes which are completely wrapped in metalor other foil, the closure folds of the foil wrapper being at the top ofthe open cup. In the United States of America the closure folds are notsealed and the whole packet is secured by a stamp or label extendingacross the narrow width of the packet and a short distance down eadhbroad side of the paper cup. These packets are popular in many othercountries and are often closed either by a label or a revenue stamp.

In other packets which are sealed at the ends, for example, the commontea packet, a label is often applied to the ends for ornament, pricefixing, or other reasons and it is often desired to check if the packetshave been labelled. All closure folds of packetsresult in somedifference in level between the outer surface of an outer fold and someother part of the closed portion and this difference can be feltmechanically, but if a label is fixed over the folds the difference issmoothed out from a step to a slope and a suitable feeler will pass overthe closure of a labelled packet but will catch on said step of anunlabelled packet or one where the label has missed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the essential feature of anypacket to which the invention is applicable is that its closure foldsshall be, at least in part, covered by some kind of label.

According to the invention there is provided a device for detectingmissing labels on packets having closure folds over a part at least ofwhich an adhesive label is supposed to extend, said device comprising afeeler suitably shaped to engage the edge of a packet fold and movablerelatively to a packet surface in close proximity thereto and towardsthe folding angle of the last of such folds, said feeler being attachedto the free end of a lever, and a switch positioned for operation bysaid lever, whereby :the feeler can move relatively to a properlylabelled packet without hindrance but on encountering an unlabelledpacket the feeler will catch on the step caused by said fold and cause alever movement which will cause the switch to be operated.

Where, as in the case of the American-style packet, the closure foldsare unsealed, the feeler is preferably a clawlike member shaped so as topass beneath said last fold and approach the interior angle of the saidfold where it will catch and cause said lever movement.

In a preferred construction the lever is constructed of two parts hingedtogether with a knee joint and having a spring arranged to hold saidjoint in the locked condition until such time as the feeler catches onthe edge of a fold whereupon the knee will bend against the influence ofthe spring and operate the switch.

In automatic packing machines, for which the invention is intended, thelever will normally be swung to and fro, or rotated, in timedrelationship with the passage of packets to be tested by the detectingdevice.

3,111,564 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 ice One construction 'accord'mg to theinvention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an American-style packet;

FIGURE '2 is a perspective view of a similar packet from which a stampis missing and shows how aclaw can ascertain this fault;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the complete detecting device arrangedto detect such faults in a movable column of the packets;

FIGURE 4 is similar to FIGURE 3 but shows [the detecting device engaginga faulty packet.

Referring to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 the packet shown has an openpaper cup or box 1 containing a batch of cigarettes completely enclosedin a metal foil wrapper 2. The wrapper is of the block-ended type andthe end at the mouth of the paper cup is enclosed by first folding downtwo narrow flaps 3 and then folding down two broad flaps 4 and 5 insuccession. The flaps 4 and 5 are not stuck together and to secure theclosure an adhesive label 6, often a revenue stamp is placed across thenarrow width of the packet and stuck to the folds 4 and 5 and to thebroad sides of the paper cup as shown. It will be appreciated that ifthe label is missing the free end of the fold 5 will not lie down quiteso fiat as it would in a properly labelled packet. Advantage is taken ofthis fact to detect if a label is missing and this is done by a claw 7,FIGURE 2, which is moved towards the interior angle 8 of the fold 5 andwill be checked as the edge of the claw comes against said angle.

In FIGURE 3, a column of such packets is moved in the direction of thesingle arrow along a surface 9. This view illustrates the application ofthe invention to an automatic packing machine and in most cases thepackets will move intermittently as they push one another along thesurface.

The detecting device is positioned above the column and comprises alever 10 pivoted at 11 to a fixed part of the machine and having theclaw '7 at its lower end. The lever 10 consists of two parts 10A and 10Bhinged together at 12 and shaped at the joint to form a knee joint, thatis, a joint movable in one direction only to bend the lever. Anover-centre spring 13 normally keeps the parts of the lever in therelative positions shown in FIG- URE 3. The lever 10 is oscillated overthe packets by any suitable device, shown here as a lever 14. Thisdevice moves in timed relationship with the packet movements and itcould of course be rotated instead of oscillating. 15 is an electricswitch fixed to a plate 16 which is fixed to the part 10A of the leverand 17 is a switchoperating spring. The claw 7 touches or practicallytouches the upper surface of the passing packets during its movement andit can give slightly under the spring tension if necessary but as longas every packet is labelled the parts 10A and 10B of the lever remainsubstantially straight. If however a label is missing the lever 10 willbend about its joint 12, as in FIGURE 4 where bending is just starting,as the claw 7 comes against the interior angle 8 of the flap 5. Furthermovement of the lever 10 will bend it still more and the switch 15 isthen operated, the lower part 10B of the lever being displacedrelatively to the upper part 10A so that spring 17, secured to the lowerpart 10B, engages switch button 17A tooperate the switch 15.

Switch operation can be utilised to give an audible or visible alarm orto secure the eventual rejection of the faulty packet, these expedientsbeing commonplace in the art and needing no further description.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for detecting missing labels on packets having closure foldsand an adhesive label extending over an outer fold, said devicecomprising a feeler member, means for supporting said member and apacket with the memher. and the packet surfiace which normally bears thelabel in close proximity and with the member directed toward the foldingangle of said outer fold, and for causing movement of said member towardsaid fold and into said folding angle in the absence of a label, saidmeans comprising a pivoted lever to which the member is attached, saidlever being formed of two parts hinged together with a knee joint, aswitch mounted on a first of said hinged parts of said pivoted lever andoperable in response to relative movement of said hinged parts, and aspring acting between said hinged parts to hold said joint in a lockedcondition until said member enters the folding angle of a 'fold, therebycausing relative movement of said hinged par-ts against the influence ofsaid spring to operate said switch.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which yielding means is interposedbetween said switch and a second of said hinged parts of said pivotedlever to operate said switch on relative movement of said hinged parts.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which said means comprisesmechanism for feeding packets in succession past said 'feeler and forreciprocating said feeler toward the outer fold of each packet as itpasses said feeler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,252,853 Hoover Aug. 19, 1941 2,430,935 Klug Nov. 18, 1947 2,782,961Gassaway Feb. 26, 1957 2,806,621 Drennan Sept. 17, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS1,076,310 Germany Feb. 25, 1960

1. A DEVICE FOR DETECTING MISSING LABELS ON PACKETS HAVING CLOSURE FOLDSAND AN ADHESIVE LABEL EXTENDING OVER AN OUTER FOLD, SAID DEVICECOMPRISING A FEELER MEMBER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID MEMBER AND APACKET WITH THE MEMBER AND THE PACKET SURFACE WHICH NORMALLY BEARS THELABEL IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND WITH THE MEMBER DIRECTED TOWARD THE FOLDINGANGLE OF SAID OUTER FOLD, AND FOR CAUSING MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER TOWARDSAID FOLD AND INTO SAID FOLDING ANGLE IN THE ABSENCE OF A LABEL, SAIDMEANS COMPRISING A PIVOTED LEVER TO WHICH THE MEMBER IS ATTACHED, SAIDLEVER BEING FORMED OF TWO PARTS HINGED TOGETHER WITH A KNEE JOINT, ASWITCH MOUNTED ON A FIRST OF SAID HINGED PARTS OF SAID PIVOTED LEVER ANDOPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID HINGED PARTS, AND ASPRING ACTING BETWEEN SAID HINGED PARTS TO HOLD SAID JOINT IN A LOCKEDCONDITION UNTIL SAID MEMBER ENTERS THE FOLDING ANGLE OF A FOLD, THEREBYCAUSING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID HINGED PARTS AGAINST THE INFLUENCE OFSAID SPRING TO OPERATE SAID SWITCH.